Beata Gessel-Kalinowska vel Kalisz, PhD

As of 1995, arbitration has been an important element in Beata’s professional practice. She has built up comprehensive experience in ADR, participating – whether as arbitrator, counsel, or expert – in approximately 100 arbitration cases, domestic as well as international (conducted according to rules including those of the ICC, UNCITRAL, FCC, IAA, SCAI, Lewiatan, Polish National Chamber of Commerce and the National Depository for Securities). Majority of the arbitral proceeding she has been involved in concerned, however was not limited to, M&A transactions and construction law (including FIDIC regulations). A detailed list of appointments can be viewed here.

Between 2011 and 2017, served as President of the Lewiatan Arbitration Court; upon leaving this position, she was appointed Honorary President. She is a member of the of ICC International Arbitration Court (2015).

Beata Gessel is also an adjunct professor in commercial arbitration as well as M&A transactions at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University.

In 2015/2016 she ran comparative law research on breach of M&A transactions as a visiting academic at Oxford University Law Department and in 2016/2017 continued her research at the Cambridge University Law Department within the Herbert Smith Freehills Visiting Professor Scheme.

Member of the Polish Arbitration Association (at which she sits on the Audit Committee); also chairs the Audit Committee of the Polish Private Equity Association, an organisation assembling all the private equity funds active in Poland.

Education:

Graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Warsaw (1989). Received her PhD in legal studies from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw in 2009; her PhD thesis entitled “Legal Character of Representations and Warranties in a Limited Liability Company Share Purchase Agreement (in Light of the Freedom of Contract Principle)” is a cornerstone of the Polish literature on the subject. Author and editor of many publications dealing with M&A and commercial arbitration, including Polish Arbitration Law (Warsaw 2014) and The Challenges and the Future of Commercial and Investment Arbitration (Warsaw 2015). A full list of her publications can be viewed here.

Recommendations:

For many years, recommended as a leading M&A practitioner in the annual ranking of lawyers compiled by the “Rzeczpospolita” daily. The Practical Law Company included her in the “highly recommended” category in Private Equity/ Venture Capital and in Corporate/ M&A (2007 through 2011). In “Private Equity Global Counsel Handbooks”, she is recommended in the Private Equity and Venture Capital category. Beata Gessel has been recommended in Chambers Global’s “The World’s Leading Lawyers” and in “Chambers Europe Legal Directory” since 2001 (the latter’s 2008 edition points out that “ Beata Gessel is something of a private equity celebrity in Polish legal circles, with a highly impressive track record in the sector ”). For many years, distinguished in Chambers Global and Chambers Europe in the field of Dispute resolution: for her inquisitive style, effectiveness, and strong business sense as well as for the strength which she brings to bear in promoting Polish arbitration: “ Beata Gessel has put Poland on the international arbitration scene ”. She is often called the first lady of arbitration in Poland. In 2017 dr Beata Gessel-Kalinowska vel Kalisz has been recognised as a Leading Individual in Dispute Resolution in the Legal 500 ranking. According to Clients, she has “exceptional business acumen and second-to-none legal knowledge” and is a “strong leader”.

GESSEL Arbitration Wall is an arbitration mobile app, i.e. a computer program designed for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It is an easily accessible and user-friendly database of documents frequently used in arbitration such as applicable rules, laws and instruments (e.g. IBA Rules or Guidelines), and also of other knowledge and reference materials (e.g. studies, reports).